Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985)

by Dick Ebert ·
Published September 23, 2017
· Updated January 25, 2018

Rambo: First Blood Part II Quote: “If winning means he has to die – he’ll die. No fear, no regrets. And one more thing, what you choose to call hell, he calls home..” – Colonel Trautman

In case you were wondering: No, “Rambo: First Blood Part II” does not hold up. Unless you served in the U.S. Army or really hate computers. From unimaginable POW rescues to an impossibly glistening Sylvester Stallone, this 1985 action drama is the Father of All Action Movie Tropes. Find out what song makes Big D cry, what scenes make King Bee cringe, and what Gene Lyons actually liked about this utter betrayal of its “Rambo” predecessor.

Plot Summary: “Rambo: First Blood Part II” John Rambo (Sylvester Stallone) is doing hard time in jail when his former boss, Col. Troutman (Richard Crenna), offers him a deal. If Rambo travels to Vietnam to try to find the American prisoners of war, his criminal record will be expunged. Rambo takes the reconnaissance assignment and agrees not to get involved in any of the action. However, when his Vietnamese lover, Co Bao (Julia Nickson), is killed by American forces, Rambo forgets his promise and takes matters into his own hands.